Culture

Drink Whiskey Like A Literary Legend

Published

1 year ago

February 24, 2024

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Hemmingway shared “I have drunk since I was 15, and few things have given me more pleasure.”

Whiskey is one of the things which legends are made. From the Greeks to the Irish, it has developed into an elixir delighting the taste buds and occasionally the brain. There is something adult, worldweary, and strong about holding a glass of the brown water. From early times to the Wild West, it appears again and again in stories and modern myths. It is no wonder authors have been captured by its amber hue. Here is a guide so this weekend you can drink whiskey like a literary legend.

John Steinbeck

While John Steinbeck’s favorite drink was the Jack Rose, he made an impact on the imagine of whiskey with his most famous book. The liquor makes an appearance in several of Steinbeck’s books, including his magnum opus, The Grapes of Wrath. Tom Joad drains a pint in the early chapters as he makes his way back to the family homestead. His uncle John, meanwhile, has a well-known proclivity for whiskey and “jake,” an infamous Prohibition-era patent medicine that was both mostly alcohol and known to cause nerve damage. Times may be tough, but whiskey is always there it seems.

Ernest Hemingway

The daring hero of the Spanish Civil War, WWII and the inventor of the Great Gatsby, Ernest Hemingway was fond of many drinks. While most people probably associate him with daiquiris or absinthe (not bad choices), he was a prodigious whiskey drinker. Supposedly his real-life drink of choice was a scotch and soda. Seems reasonable since it appears more frequently in his writing than any other—notably in The Snows of Kilimanjaro. In the autobiographical A Moveable Feast, he pounds quite a few whiskeys between rounds of smack-talk about F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein.

Dorothy Parker

The American poet, writer, critic, wit, and satirist helped create a moment with the Algonquin Round Table. The gathered wit and wisdom of creative leaders in the day traded barbs, insight and stories while handling a highball. While her most quoted bon mot was about vodka, scotch was her passion. Sipping on it though the day made her feel cheerful and loose, clever remarks spun spontaneously from her lips, until everyone was falling down with laughter and she felt appreciated and loved. Never did Dorothy appear drunk. But she was seldom completely sober either.

Here is the vodka bon mot:

“I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
After three I’m under the table,
after four I’m under my host.”

Ian Fleming

Ian Fleming was a British upper crust intelligence officer who mingled with the powerful and the connected. He went on to massive fame creating his great alter ego, Jame Bond. While Bond is know for drinking a vodka martini (shaken, not stirred), the MI6 agent has also indulged in plenty of whiskey like Fleming. Although several of the Bond films feature Talisker or Macallan, in the books, he often drank bourbon, a choice that was apparently based on Ian Fleming’s real-life preference for the American “Old Grandad” bourbon.

Related: The Perfect Ice-Cold Martini

Supposedly, Fleming switched from gin to bourbon on the advice of his doctor, who thought it might be marginally less damaging to his ailing heart.

William Faulkner

Like his contemporary, Hemingway, the southern gothic master drank constantly; unlike Hemingway, who preferred to write “cold,” Faulkner’s writing was fueled by bourbon, corn whiskey, and mint juleps. Whiskey features in his writing, too: Joe Christmas, a central character in his 1932 novel Light in August, is a bootlegger in the Prohibition-era south.

So next time you feel thirsty, here is how to drink whiskey like a literary legend.

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20th Century Fox

This Easter Actor Has Been Playing It Forward

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2025

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This actor found fame in a classic Easter movie – and has spent the rest of his life playing it forward.

It was an epic movie on a grand scale which captured audiences. Since then, it has become a staple for Easter. But there is one star in the movie who took the message of helping your fellow man to heart. This Easter actor has been playing it forward and continues to have an impact on the entertainment industry. Eugene Mazzola, who played Pharaoh’s son continues his passion and, to date, has more than 52 acting credits plus a TV series under his belt and even more credits behind the camera. And at each step, he offered a hand to lift up others.

Mazzola’s big break came in the Oscar winning powerhouse. Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments (1956) is a monumental epic chronicling Moses’ journey from Egyptian prince to deliverer of the Hebrews, culminating in the reception of the Ten Commandments and the Exodus. Renowned for its grand scale, lavish sets, and memorable performances, the film was a box office sensation—becoming the most successful film of 1956 and one of the highest-grossing of all time when adjusted for inflation. The stars included Charleston Heston, Anne Baxter and Yul Brunner. Its ongoing popularity is fueled by annual television broadcasts during Passover and Easter, cementing its status as a cultural and religious touchstone for generations.

Born into a family steeped in the film industry, Mazzola’s father started out as an actor in the 1920s, moving behind the camera in the ‘30s. While his father was at 20^th Century Fox during the depression and WW II, his brothers and sister all worked as background or day players in the studios. The system at the time was the studios brought the employees’ children in to work. For better or worse, the studios were family run and populated.

Lola Moore, a kids’ agent and a family friend, starting sending me out on interviews. At one and half years old Mazzola was brought in to work on Asphalt Jungle (1949). As a baby there wasn’t much to do on camera but cry in a crib. He went on to be hired onto Wait ‘Till the Sun Shines Nellie (1951). Despite his young age, he could memorize dialogue, hit marks and emote. A director’s dream from a three-and-a-half-year-old kid. It was in Cry of the Hunted (1952) where the casting directors realized the camera really liked the young actor. And like today, he takes direction, a needed and useful skill when in from of the camera. Star level arrived when when he was cast in The Ten Commandments (1955).

After the movies success, he did movies and TV. He signed up with a “super agent” at the time and changed his professional name to Eugene Martin. Even though he had great credits as a child, according to the agent it was less ethnic. Looking back, that was problematic for many reason.

After serving in Vietnam in 1970, he decided to expand past acting but stay in the industry. While attending college, he ended up as a production accountant on a film directed by Peter Fonda and line produced by his brother, Anthony.

This lead to his role as a production assistant on TV commercial sets. It wasn’t long before he started scrambling up the ladder – assistant directing, production managing, and ultimately producing. In 1976 he produced my first feature film. He also met his wife, Zita Mazzola, and together they continued to expand into the industry and mentor, help and guide hundreds of others in the craft.

While working on a film near Seattle, he fell in love with the area. They moved to the area in 1981 with the goal to build a studio compound to serve the Northwest. They wound up starting Seattle Cine Rental to support the growing NW film industry., which became the Cine Companies. For nine years it was the largest grip and lighting company on the west coast. That company was bought by Pacific Grip and Lighting and remains the largest G&E company in the Northwest.

Currently, they have a production company, Mazzola Filmworks. The goal is to continue promoting and supporting the film industry and people in the Northwest.

Mazzola shared “I think every job we take makes a difference, not just to our advancement but to the people you are privileged to work with. This is especially true in the film business. I learned from my family the importance of respecting the contribution of every person in the crew and cast, even the background actors.”

Yes, the film industry is generally considered a very challenging and competitive industry to be successful. Today, film is having to figure a a broader path as streaming emerges as another entertainment option. It requires a significant amount of hard work, determination, and often luck. While it’s not impossible to succeed, the path to becoming a successful filmmaker or actor is often long and demanding. Having the Mazzalos as a mentor has been beneficial for hundreds of actors, directors, and behind the scenes artists.

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420

420 Across Cannabis Comes To Crosswords

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2025

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Another step in the mainstreaming of cannabis, the plant has its own set of crossword puzzles!

Looking for a last minute Easter or 420 gift for the marijuana aficanado? You can stop into Barnes and Nobles or another independent bookstore and pick up unique treat. 420 across cannabis comes to crosswords and can be found at mainstream retailers. The world of crossword puzzles is experiencing a fresh and exciting twist with the rise of cannabis-themed crosswords, delighting both word enthusiasts and cannabis aficionados alike. This new wave reflects not only the growing acceptance of cannabis culture but also the enduring popularity and adaptability of the crossword puzzle itself.

Crossword puzzles have a rich and storied history. The earliest forms date back to the 19th century, with simple word squares appearing in children’s books and magazines. The modern crossword, however, was born on December 21, 1913, when Arthur Wynne, a journalist for the New York World, published his “word-cross” puzzle—diamond-shaped and clue-driven, it set the template for the pastime we know today. The name soon flipped to “cross-word,” and by the 1920s, newspapers across America and Britain were featuring crosswords daily, each developing their own distinctive styles and rules. The crossword’s popularity soared, offering comfort and distraction during turbulent times such as World War I and II. Over the decades, the puzzle evolved, spawning cryptic crosswords in Britain and themed puzzles that reflect every imaginable interest.

Enter cannabis crosswords—a playful, educational, and timely evolution. As cannabis has become more mainstream, so too has its presence in popular culture and media. Cannabis-themed crosswords now appear in magazines, online platforms, and even published books, such as “Cannabis CrossWords & More” by Gail Marie Beckman, a seasoned cruciverbalist who crafts custom puzzles for all occasions. These puzzles blend cannabis terminology, history, and science with the classic challenge of wordplay, making them a hit at cannabis events, dispensaries, and among enthusiasts seeking a fun way to test their knowledge.

The appeal is multifaceted: cannabis crosswords offer a lighthearted way to learn about the plant, its uses, and its legal landscape, while also providing the cognitive benefits and relaxation that crosswords are famous for. They foster community, spark conversation, and celebrate the intersection of two vibrant cultures—wordplay and cannabis.

As both crossword puzzles and cannabis culture continue to thrive, their union in cannabis-themed crosswords is a testament to the enduring power of play, curiosity, and connection.Whether you’re a seasoned solver or a curious newcomer, these puzzles invite everyone to “hash out” their knowledge and enjoy the high-minded fun.

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Cannabis

A Positive Move By The Administration On Medical Marijuana

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2025

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After mixed messages, the current administration make a nomination which the cannabis industry sees as positive.

The new government has left the cannabis industry and million of patients worried about the future. Veterans, seniors, Gen Z and more are using medical marijuana for chronic pain, stress, anxiety, and more, especially since it is a better alternative than some traditional medicine. At last, there is a positive move by the administration on medical marijuana. The administration’s nomination of Sara Carter as the first female director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has been met with widespread optimism, particularly given her nuanced and positive stance on medical marijuana.

Sara Carter is an award-winning investigative journalist renowned for her frontline reporting on national security, border issues, and the fight against drug cartels. Her extensive experience covering the opioid and fentanyl crises, as well as her commitment to exposing criminal networks, positions her as a formidable leader in the battle against America’s drug epidemic. As a mother of six, Carter brings a personal understanding of the impact of drug abuse on families and communities, further fueling her dedication to public health and safety.

Study Claims People Who Use Medical Marijuana Are More Likely To Consume Nicotine — Photo by Witthaya Prasongsin via Getty

What truly sets Carter apart from previous ONDCP directors is her open and positive perspective on medical marijuana. Unlike many of her predecessors, Carter has publicly described medical cannabis as a “fantastic” treatment option for people suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer. On her podcast, The Sara Carter Show, she stated:

“I don’t have any problem if it’s legalized and it’s monitored… I do believe that cannabis for medicinal purposes and medical reasons is a fantastic way of handling—especially for people with cancer and other illnesses—the illness and the side effects of the medication and those illnesses. So I’m not saying we’ve gotta make it illegal.”

Carter’s willingness to distinguish between illicit, unregulated drug markets and legally regulated medical cannabis demonstrates her pragmatic approach. She has emphasized that her main concerns are with illegal trafficking and cartel activity, not with regulated medical use. This distinction is critical, as it aligns with growing public consensus—nearly 90% of Americans support access to medical marijuana.

Carter’s nomination signals a potential shift toward a more balanced and evidence-based drug policy at the federal level. Her recognition of the benefits of medical marijuana, coupled with her focus on harm reduction and public safety, offers hope for:

Increased support for medical cannabis research and access for patients in need.
Enhanced efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking and organized crime, while respecting state-level decisions on cannabis regulation.
A more compassionate and health-focused national drug strategy, prioritizing prevention, treatment, and recovery over punitive measures.

Her media expertise and public profile are expected to help her effectively communicate these priorities, uniting stakeholders from law enforcement, healthcare, and advocacy communities.

Sara Carter’s nomination as ONDCP director is a forward-thinking move that acknowledges regarding the legitimate medical value of cannabis. Her positive, pragmatic stance on medical marijuana, combined with her commitment to public health and safety, positions her to make a lasting, positive impact on America’s drug policy landscape.

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